Process of manufacturing iron and its alloys.



f No. l81:3;91-8. TATTNNTNDv APR. 24,1906.

A M; N UTHBNBURG.

TRocBss 0T MANUFACTURING IRON AND ITS ALLoYs. l APPLICATION FILED Nov.28,1903.

"w|TNEssEs= STATES PATENT carros.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING IRON AND ITS ALLOYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906. p

Application filed November 28, 1903. Serial No 183,052.

- specification, reference being had to t e acfusing t companying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide a process which may be conducted continuousl whereby iron and its alloys may be direct y manufactured from comminuted ore.

My process consists in fritting the comminuted particles of ore in coherent orous lumps, then while said lumps are at re ucing temperature subjecting them to the action of reducing media and reducing them Without em and then increasin the temperatureof said lumps until the re uced metal is melted.

As hereinafter described, my process contemplates employing an electric circuit for both the fritting and melting o erations and employing as the reducing me iaa carbonaceous or hydrocarbon as which is preheated.

As an example of t e o eration 'of my invention I Will describe tflie treatment of a mass of magnetite in an apparatus such as is shown in the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing, 1 is a hopper which is supplied with the previousl -cleaned .comminuted magnetite 2,which ilbws thence throu h the spout 3 between the op osed electro erollers 5 and 6, which are inc uded in an electric circuit hereinafter described. e The particles of ore from the spout 3 assemble in a bridge 7 between said rollers 5 and 6 and, forming a path for theV electric current, are thereby raised to such temperature as to be fritted in porous lumps 8, which fall within the-furnace 10 and form a mass 12, overlying the inlets from the conduits 16 and 17, through which a reducing media may be alternately introduced under control of the valves 18 and 19.

In the apparatus which I have chosen for illustration said reducing media is carbonaceous gas derived from the gas-producer comprising. the retorts 20, wherein coal, coke, sawdust, peat, orother suitable material is burned. Said retorts are provided with a common outlet 21 and branch conduits 22 and 23, respectively, controlled by valves 24 and 25 and extending to the counterpart heaters, which comprise stacks 27 and 28, provided with checker-work 30 and 31. Said stack 27 comprises two lues 33 and 34, which are in communication through the passage 35 at the bottom thereof. Immediately adj oining the inlet38 from the branch pipe 22 the flue 33 is rovided with a discharge-outlet 39, controlle by the valve 40. The flue 34 is connected with the chamber 10 by the conduit 16 and by the conduit 42, controlled by the valve 43. Similarly, the stack 28 comprises the flues 45 and 46, which are in communication through the passage 48 at the bottom thereof. Immediately adj oining the inlet 49 from the branch pipe 23 the flue 45 is provided with the dischar e-outlet `51, controlled by the valve 52. T e flue 46 is connected with the chamber 10 by the conduit 17, aforesaid, and by the pipe 54, controlled by the valve 55. The valve 24 being open Vand the valve 25 closed and the arran ement of the other valves being as shown, t e (gas from the producer passes from the pi e 22 down through the checker-work 30 in t e flue 33 of the stack 27, through the passage 35 and checker-work 30 in the flue 34 to the conduit 16, and rises thence through the mass of hot fritted ore 12 in the chamber 10, where it burns. The roducts of combustion escape from the c amber 10 through the conduit 54 into the flue 46 of the stack 28. In its traverse through the flue 46,k passage 48, and flue 45 to the outlet 51 the gaseous roducts of combustion heat the checker-wor 31, and it is to be understood that subsequently by reversing the valves controlling the inlets and outlets of said stacks 27 and 28 the producer-gas may be caused to traverse the heated checker-Work 31 in the stack 28 before its introduction to the ore 12 and the products of combustion be conducted from said chamber through the stack 27 to heat the checker work 30 therein. Said stacks being thus employed in alternation, the as is preheated before its contact with the ict fritted ore 12. The mass of ore 12 in the chamber 10 aforesaid rests upon a bath of molten metal 57, which is maintained in the crucible 58 between the opposed electrodes 60 and 61. It may be noted that the heat retained by the mass ofl fritted ore 12 after the fritti operation is supplemented by the 'heat derived from the checker-work by the reducing-gas and by the heat arising from said molten bath 57 to such a degree that the mass of ore is reduced without being fused as it subsides in the chamber 10 to the level of the inlets from the conduits 16 and IOO IIO

therein. The crucible 58 is provided with a` vent 63, through` which the molten metal j vmay bewithdrawn'continuously or at any 17. As the ore passes below said in lets its temperature increases until itv comes in Icontact with the molten bath 57 and 1s melted thus obtained for themelting operation without a special generator, and the unbroken lresistance of the fluid-bath 57 steadies the fluctuating resistance of the ore bridge 7 between the rolls 5 and 6.

Although l prefer to employ the type herein describedI do not desire to limit myself thereto, as it is obvious that va- -rious modications may be made in the apparatus employed without departing from the essential features of my process.-

I claim--'l 1'. rIfhe continuous process of reducingore tothe-metallic state, which consists in fritting commnuted articles of ore in coherent" iplirous lumps, co ecting the lum s in a-conp ed heated atmosphere, then efore said lumps have fallen below areducing temperature, subjecting them to the action of reducing media in said confined heated atmosphere a'ndredpcingfthem without fusin them, and then increasmg the temperature o said lumps, until thereduced metal ismelted,'substantially as set forth.

2. The continuousprocess of'reduciiig ore to the metallic state, which consists in frit- Y ting commnuted articles of ore incoherent orous lumps, vco ecting the lumps in a coned heated atmosphere, then before said lumps have fallen below a reducing temperature, subjecting them to the actionof reducingmedia while pro 'essing them through a region heated to re uoing temperature and reducing them without fusing them, and then apparatus of 1 progressing the reducedluin s at'ieducing temperature into a-region at sin temperature and melting the reduced'meta substantially as set forth.

3. -The continuous process' of reducing ore to the metallic state, which consists in assembling comminuted particles of ore to `form a path for an electric current, so proportioned;

as to frit said particles into. coherent porous lumps, collecting 'the lumps in a confined vheated atmosphere, then before Vsaid lumps have fallen below a reducing temperature, subjecting them to the action of vreducing media, and-reducing them without lfusin them, vand tl1aen-l assemblin the reduce lumps to form a path for an e ectric current, and melting the reduced metal by an electric current passed therethrough, substantially as set forth.

4. The continuous process of reducingy ore to the metallic state, which consists in assembling commnuted particles of lore to form a path for an electric current so proportioned e,as to frit said particles into coherent or-` ous lumps, collecting the lum s in a' con ed heated atmosphere, thenjbe ore said lumps, have fallen below thev reducing temperature, subjecting them to the action of deoxidizinggas, and reducing them without fusing them, andthen vassembling the reduced lum s .to form a path for an electric'current,` and t ereby melting the reduced metal, substantially as set forth. Y p

5.- The processof reducing ore to the metallic state, which consists in fritting comminuted particles of ore in coherent, porous lumps, by an electric current, collecting the lumps in; a confined heated atmosphere, then before said lumps have fallen below a reducing tem erature, subjecting them to the action of eoxidizing-gas until they are reduced without being.`melte d and then melting the reduced lumps by an electric current passedr therethrough, substantially as set forth. -In testimony whereof I have hereunto signedmy name, at Lockport, this 21st dayof November; 1903. l

' -MARCUS RUTHENBURG..

Witnesses: l

J. FRANK SMITH,

AAA.-EDMUND LEE. 

